Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals and Scout and as a two-star prospect by ESPN, the 6-foot-6 guard was a solid but not spectacular high school recruit.

Heading into his senior season at Pickerington (Ohio) Central High School, LeVert committed to play college basketball at Ohio University. The school was only an hour from home and his mother could take the short trip to see him play. Plus, LeVert got along with Groce, the Bobcats' head coach at the time.

Then came the end of LeVert’s senior season.

Groce -- thanks to a Sweet 16 run by 13th-seeded Ohio that included a win over fourth-seeded Michigan in the NCAA tournament -- found himself as one of the hottest coaches in the country.

After the Bobcats’ joyride ended in an overtime loss to top-seeded North Carolina, Groce immediately entered discussions with Illinois to replace fired head coach Bruce Weber.

“Caris didn’t want to believe that he was going anywhere,” said LeVert’s high school coach Jerry Francis, a former Ohio State standout and longtime Division I college coach. “Then he calls me saying, ‘Coach! Coach! Groce left!’”

According to LeVert, Illinois assistant coach Dustin Ford called him about a week after Groce took the Illinois job. He told LeVert that Groce would be reaching out shortly to discuss Illinois.

The call never came.

A few days later, on May 11, 2012, LeVert committed to Michigan during an official visit.

“I haven’t ever talked to (Groce), except for, like, ‘Good game,’ and stuff like that after (last year’s game),” LeVert said. That came last season when Michigan swept a home-and-home season series against Illinois.

“Groce lit a fire in (LeVert) by not taking him with him to Illinois as well as by not calling him back,” Francis said, later adding, “That was bad business. I don’t care how you look at it, that’s bad business. Caris still never heard from him.”

Asked during Monday’s Big Ten teleconference if he considered taking LeVert to Illinois, Groce said, “To say, ‘Did we consider it?’ Sure we considered it. More than anything, I’m happy for Caris. He’s got a great family with his mom, his brother. Obviously he’s made the most of his opportunity at Michigan. It seems to be a good fit for him.”

Asked if he ever tried to contact LeVert, Groce responded, “Yeah I don’t want to get into all that. That’s a moot point at this point. It is what it is. That’s between us and them. At the end of the day, once again, I’m really happy for him and his family that he’s excelling at Michigan.”

Groce did note that with LeVert having signed a national letter of intent to Ohio, the coach was forbidden by NCAA rules to contact the recruit directly upon moving to a different school.

LeVert, however, was released from his letter of intent only a few days after Groce accepted the Illinois job.

As a high school senior at Pickerington, LeVert led the Tigers to a 26-2 record and a Division I state title. He averaged 18.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists.

After gaining a release from his letter of intent, he visited Dayton, Purdue and Michigan, and considered Xavier.

LeVert was offered a scholarship to Michigan without head coach John Beilein having ever seen him play in-person. Francis, an old friend of U-M assistant Bacari Alexander, sent the coaching staff a highlight film.

Additionally, former Michigan star Trey Burke, his father Benji Burke, and Victor Dandridge, Burke’s former coach at Northland (Ohio) High School, all vouched for LeVert’s talent. Burke grew up in Columbus, Ohio, only 20 miles from Pickerington, and played in the same AAU program as LeVert.

“I felt like I was taking a chance (signing with Michigan), but I felt like it was the right chance,” LeVert said.

Originally slated to redshirt his freshman season at U-M, LeVert instead appeared in 33 games and averaged 2.3 points in 10.8 minutes. He scored eight points in 21 minutes in a Final Four win over Syracuse.

LeVert currently ranks in the top 20 in the Big Ten in eight categories (scoring, assists, steals, 3-point percentage, 3-point field goals made, free-throw percentage, defensive rebounds and minutes played.

Michigan (21-7, 13-3 Big Ten) can clinch an outright Big Ten regular-season title with a win at Illinois (17-12, 6-10) on Tuesday.

Brendan F. Quinn covers University of Michigan basketball. Follow him on Twitter for the latest on Wolverines hoops. He can be contacted at bquinn@mlive.com